Events

Hike Among the Laurels Jun, 21

This month’s brisk Y Connections Walk takes us to Maudslay State Park.

Join Ranger Donna Sudak as we explore Maudslay State Park’s 19th century gardens and plantings, rolling meadows, towering pines, and one of the largest naturally-occurring stands of mountain laurel in Massachusetts. 

we will discover the natural, historical, and cultural aspects of the park, as well as its connection to the poetry of John Greenleaf Whittier.

FREE

WHERE:  Maudslay State Park, Newburyport

Paid Parking lot:  74 Curzon Mill Road, Newburyport, MA 01950

Directions

WHEN:  June 21, 9:30 – 11:30 am.

Introduction to Invasive Insects Jun, 21

When: Thursday, June 21, 7:00-8:30pm

Where: Cox Reservation Barn, 82 Eastern Avenue, Essex

Join Essex County Greenbelt's Land Stewardship team and guest, Javier Marin, the Forest Pest Outreach Coordinator, from the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources for a free introduction, and learn what you can do to help combat the threat of these pests. Followed by a Q & A session. 

We will also be distributing free educational outreach materials to help spread awareness. 

Guided Paddle on Ipswich River AT CAPACITY Jun, 24

EVENT IS AT CAPACITY.  REGISTRATION CLOSED.

June is a beautiful time on the Ipswich River and the Ipswich River Watershed Association will guide our exploration.

We’ll start at Riverbend, what many people say is the most beautiful and least frequented stretch of the river.  It doesn’t matter whether you’re an expert or a novice – the Ipswich River Watershed provides many opportunities to observe a great variety of birds. 

Kayaks and Canoes are limited, bring your own if possible.

WHERE:  Riverbend, Ipswich

WHEN:  June 24, 1:00 – 3:00 pm

FREE

Directions:  Look for the sign at 143 County Rd (Route 1A) in Ipswich. 

Pingree Run for the Hills 5K or 10K Trail Run Jul, 14

This race offers both a 5K and a 10K race.

The 10K distance is part of the 2018 New England Running Company Trail Series. The race course winds through the beautiful wooded hills behind the Pingree School.

WHEN:  July 14, Saturday

WHERE: Pingree Reservation, Hamilton

TIME:  9:00am Race Start

Register online

Online registration ends: July 11 at Noon

Race Day Registration: 7:30-8:45 am

Register by June 14 to guarantee a Greenbelt draw-string bag

FEE:  $25 member/$30 non-member. *10K part of the 2018 North Shore Endurance Trail Series

Race Site: Pingree Reservation/Pingree School, 537 Highland Street, South Hamilton

Race Registration Form

Wild Edibles Walk Jul, 16

Chowder from cattails, fritters from black locust and a pokeweed frittata are among the recipes made from the wild edible plants commonly found in New England.

Learn to find and sustainably gather delicious edibles in the wild with local expert Russ Cohen.

Cohen, one of New England’s foremost edibles experts, regularly lectures and teaches people how to forage safely on our local landscape. Cohen first compiled decades of learning, practicing and teaching about wild food foraging into a book in 2004. Over 6000 copies later, Cohen’s following is stronger than ever.

WHEN:  July 16, Monday   

TIME:  6 - 8pm

WHERE:  Cox Reservation, Essex

FREE.   Russ' book, Wild Plants I Have Know…and Eaten, will be available for purchase for $15.

Bald Hill Ecology Hike Jul, 19

This month’s Y Connections Hike takes us to the Bald Hill Conservation Area in Boxford and Middleton.

Richard Lombard will lead the 3-mile hike along woodland trails exploring the reservation's ecology and wildlife.

Summer brings flowering plants and breeding raptors in Bald Hill’s rich forests, diverse wetlands and open water that supports an extraordinary diversity of plant and animal life

The hike will take us along Towne Pond that has been shaped by beaver activity. We will pass a beaver lodge and a beaver deceiver that prevents flooding on the trail and to the residential development on the northwest section of the pond. 

WHEN:  Thursday, July 19

WHERE:  Bald Hill Reservation, Boxford and Middleton.  Meet at the Sharpner’s Pond Parking area on Sharpner’s Pond Road in Middleton.

TIME:   9:30 - 11:00am

FREE

DIRECTIONS & PARKING

From 95, take Ext 51 and go west on Endicott St/Middleton Rd and in 0.9 miles turn right on Peabody Street. In 1.2 miles turn right on Liberty Street. In 0.5 miles Liberty St becomes North Liberty St. Follow North Liberty St for 2.1 miles and turn right on Sharpner’s Pond Road. The parking area is 0.1 miles ahead. From the intersection of Route 114 and Sharpner’s Pond Rd in Middleton, go northeast Sharpner’s Pond Rd. Parking area is 1.7 miles ahead on left.

Plum Island Beach Tour Jul, 29

Join acclaimed local science writer and environmentalist Bill Sargent for our monthly walk and a tour of the history and environmental significance of this fragile barrier beach paradise. 

Sargent, a consultant for the NOVA science series on PBS, is the author of 20 books about science and the environment.

Plum Island is among the most vulnerable barrier islands and often suffers significant damage during severe storms.

WHEN:  July 29, Sunday

WHERE:  Plum Island, Newburyport, Newbury

TIME:  2 - 4pm

FREE

Osprey Presentation and Book Signing Aug, 08

Take flight with Belle, an osprey born on Martha's Vineyard as she learns to fly and migrates for the first time to Brazil and back -- a journey of more than 8,000 miles.

Dr. Rob Bierregaard, ornithologist and author of the new children’s book, Belle’s Journey: An Osprey Takes Flight will discuss his work with local osprey and the research and writing of the book.  

FREE.

WHEN:  August 8, Wednesday

TIME:  6:00 pm

WHERE:  Cox Reservation, Essex

Books available for purchase and signing.

Star Party Aug, 13

Observe the heavens at Sagamore Hill Conservation Area with the expert guidance of a local astronomer. 

We may even catch a glimpse of the Perseid meteor shower, as we partner with the North Shore Amateur Astronomy Club.

WHEN:  Monday, August 13.   Rain Date:  August 16.

TIME:  9 - 10:30 pm

WHERE:  Sagamore Hill Conservation Area, Hamilton

FREE

Dogtown Connections - Carter Reservation and Beyond Aug, 16

Discover the dense woodlands and final resting places for rocky debris left behind by melting glaciers over 10,000 years ago with Y Connections Hiking Club. 

This reservation shares a remarkable natural and human history with the city-owned Dogtown Common, which connects to its trails. Enormous glacial erratics rest within a mixed hardwood forest.

Many huge boulders, which were dragged south from as far away as Newfoundland, still look as if they have just dropped from the sky onto a foreign land.

WHEN:  August 16, Thursday

WHERE:  Carter Reservation, Gloucester

TIME:  9:30 - 11:30 am.

FREE

Location

Dennison Street, Gloucester

GPS Location

Latitude 42.651236, Longitude -70.660462

Directions & Parking

From 128N/Grant Circle in Gloucester:

Take 3rd rotary exit onto Route 127 going north. In 2.2 miles, just after the causeway bridge, turn right onto Goose Cove Lane/Dennison Street. Trailhead and parking are 0.65 miles ahead on the right.

Park at the Greenbelt sign at the end of Dennison Street. Parking is limited to three cars.

Introductory Mushroom Identification Class Aug, 18

Join expert Gary Gilbert of the Boston Myological Club for an introductory class in mushroom identification.  

This will be followed the next day with an intermediate class in mushroom identification. (See separate event listing.)

WHERE:  Cox Reservation, Essex

WHEN:  August 18, Saturday

TIME:  10:00 - 11:30 am

$10 Fee Payable on Site  (Separate fee for next day.)

Intermediate Class in Mushroom Identification Aug, 19

Join expert Gary Gilbert of the Boston Myological Club for an intermediate class in mushroom identification.  

Participants may wish to attend the introductory mushroom identification class being held the previous day, August 18.  (See separate event listing.)

WHERE:  Cox Reservation, Essex

WHEN:  August 19, Sunday

TIME:  10:00 - 11:30 am

$10 Fee Payable on Site (Separate fee for previous day class.)

Beverly Commons Trail Run Aug, 25

This is a challenging 3.5 Mile Loop thru the woods of Beverly Commons. The 7 Mile race is part of the 2018 North Shore Endurance Trail Series. Proceeds support Greenbelt’s land conservation work throughout Essex County.

WHEN:  August 25, Saturday

WHERE:  Beverly Commons

RACE START: 9am Start

FEE:   $25 member/$30 non-member

Register online

Online registration ends: August 22 at Noon.

Race Day Registration: 7:30 - 8:45 am

Race Site: Beverly Commons Conservation Area, Greenwood Ave. Beverly

T-Shirt: Register by July 25 to guarantee a T-Shirt

Race Registration Form

Directions & Parking

From Route 128 to exit 17

Go south on Grapevine Road/Hart Street toward Beverly Farms. In 1.25 miles, turn right onto Greenwood Avenue. Trailhead and parking are 0.3 miles ahead.

Park to the right on Stone Ridge Road. Please do not block the gate.

Family Movie Night Under The Stars Sep, 08

Bring your blanket and popcorn, and settle in for a fun, conservation-themed family film on the lawn at Cox Reservation.

Part of Greenbelt's Family Nature Series

WHEN:  Saturday, September 8

TIME:  7:30 pm

WHERE:  Cox Reservation, Essex

FREE

Insects Sep, 15

Using nets and bug boxes, families will explore fields in search of insects.

Special attention will be paid to differing insect lifecycles as well as how some insects are masters of camouflage.

Families will be encouraged to design and hide their own insect to see how well they can use camouflage.

Program Limited to Maximum of 20 people.  Recommended ages are 6 and older.

FREE

When:  September 15, 10 am - noon

Where:  Cox Reservation, Essex

Directions & Parking

From Route 128/Exit 15/School Street:

Go north on School Street/Southern Ave. towards Essex. In 3 miles, turn right onto Route 133/Eastern Avenue. In 0.5 miles, turn left at the Greenbelt sign. 

From intersection of Route 22/Route 133 in Essex:

Go east on Route 133/Main Street. In 0.5 miles, bear left onto on Route 133/Eastern Avenue. In 0.5 miles, turn left at the Greenbelt sign. 

The Secret World of Plants Sep, 20

Examine and learn about the role of native plants in the local ecosystem as we explore the rolling Mancester Essex Conservation Trust property.

MECT Partner Event with Y Connections Hiking Club

WHEN:  Thursday, September 20

TIME:  9:30 - 11:30 am

WHERE:  MECT Wilderness Conservation Area, Essex

FREE

Tour de Greenbelt Cycle for Land Conservation Sep, 29

Cycling enthusiasts of all abilities can ride through some of Essex County’s most beautiful landscapes in this annual road cycle event to benefit local land conservation.

Whether a seasoned road cyclist or a beginner, you can enjoy at your own pace one of three routes offered by Tour de Greenbelt: a half-century (50 miles) and a shorter route (25 miles), and new this year, a 37-mile Gravel Grinder Route. 

The routes showcase more than 50 of Greenbelt’s exquisite conserved properties.

WHEN:  September 29, Saturday

WHERE:  Cox Reservation, Essex

TIME: 9:00am Start

REGISTRATION OPENS IN MARCH

Basic Map Reading Skills Oct, 13

Appalachian Mountain Club member Liz Armstrong will share her map-reading expertise, and a little local history, guiding us through the Boxford State Forest and teaching practical skills you will be able to use on any hike.

WHEN:  Saturday, October 13

TIME:  9:30 - 11:30 am

WHERE:  Boxford State Forest, North Andover/Boxford

FREE

A Rock With a View Oct, 18

Spectacular views await at the top of this rocky hike at Tompson Street, Greenbelt's largest reservation.

Partner Event with Y Connections Hiking Club

WHEN:  Thursday, October 18

TIME:  9:30 - 11:30 am

WHERE:  Tompson Street Reservation, Gloucester

FREE

Devils Den Geology Walk Oct, 28

A place where local children have come to play in nature for more than 300 years, Jennie Lagoulis Reservation at Four Rock & Devil’s Den offers a unique landscape and biodiversity of uplands, wetlands and maritime forest.

Join author Peter Cristofono, a local rock and mineral expert, to explore Devil's Den and learn the storied history of this long-abandoned quarry.

When the quarries were abandoned, the land became a place for summer recreation where imaginative children added tales of sorcery, renaming the cave Devil’s Den.

WHEN:  Sunday, October 28

TIME:  1:00 - 3:00 PM

WHERE:  Jennie Lagoulis Reservation, Newbury

FREE

Autumn Walk with Boston Views Nov, 15

Warm up with this hilly hike on Ward Reservation, property maintained by the Trustees of Reservations.  We'll be led by an Andover Village Improvement Society guide.  

Gorgeous views of Boston and the surrounding countryside await.  Bring your camera!

Partner Event with Y Connections Hiking Club

WHEN:  Thursday, November 15

TIME:  9:30 - 11:30 am

WHERE:  Ward Reservation, Boston Hill, Andover

FREE

Walk Off That Turkey! Nov, 25

Stretch your legs at the Julia Bird Reservation after a weekend of feasting.  A Greenbelt guide will lead you on an easy meander through field and forest.

Adjacent to Appleton Farm, Julia Bird is part of an extensive network of protected open space along the Ipswich River throughout Ipswich, Hamilton, Wenham and Topsfield.

WHEN:  Sunday, November 25

TIME:  1:00 - 3:00 pm

WHERE:  Julia Bird Reservation, Ipswich

FREE

Winter Walk or Snowshoe at Crystal Gorge Dec, 20

Enjoy a hike through the woodlands of the Crystal Gorge Conservation Area in Haverhill.

The moderately challenging trails over 65 acres pass vernal pools, old stone walls and small streams. The hike will also traverse Crystal Gorge, a unique geological feature created by a volcanic event millions of years ago.

If time and conditions allow, we will cross the road into Crystal Point Conservation Area for views over Crystal Lake.

Partner event with Y Connections Hiking Club

WHEN:  Thursday, December 20

WHERE:  Crystal Gorge Conservation Area, Haverhill

TIME:  9:30 - 11:30 am

FREE

Parking: A gravel lot on Crystal Street behind trail sign. Additional parking on Crystal Street. 

Mutt Strut in Gloucester Dec, 30

Back by popular demand!  Whether on four paws or two feet, this hike at the Tompson Street Reservation is great fun for all participants.

WHEN:  Sunday, December 30

TIME:  1:00 - 3:00 pm

WHERE:  Tompson Street Reservation, Gloucester

FREE